Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Variegatum' – Variegated Pittosporum | Evergreen Shrub

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’ – Variegated Pittosporum

Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’ is a refined and elegant evergreen shrub that earns its place in the garden through all twelve months of the year. Its small, wavy-edged leaves are a soft grey-green, broadly margined with creamy white — a combination that brings lightness and contrast to borders, hedges, and containers without ever feeling garish. Naturally upright and well-branched, it responds beautifully to clipping and is equally at home as a formal hedge, a loose screen, or a specimen in a mixed planting. Particularly valued by florists for its foliage as a cut stem.

Why Choose ‘Variegatum’

• Attractive grey-green foliage with broad creamy-white margins — year-round interest
• Naturally upright, well-branched habit — ideal for hedging, screening, and specimen use
• Responds well to clipping — suitable for formal and informal hedges
• Excellent wind and salt tolerance — outstanding for coastal gardens
• Honey-scented small purple flowers in late spring add a seasonal bonus
• Highly valued as a cut foliage stem — popular with florists and flower arrangers

Growing Guide

• Position: Full sun to partial shade; best variegation in good light
• Soil: Moist, well-drained; tolerates most soil types including sandy and coastal soils
• Hardiness: Hardy in mild areas (RHS H4); provide shelter from hard frosts in colder regions
• Ultimate height: 2–3m; easily maintained at a lower height with regular clipping
• Pruning: Clip in late spring or early summer to maintain shape; tolerates moderate trimming

Planting & Care Tips

• Plant in a sheltered spot in colder inland areas to protect from hard frosts
• Space at 60–80cm apart for a dense, formal hedge
• Mulch around the base after planting to retain moisture and support establishment
• Excellent in large containers on a sheltered terrace or courtyard

Delivery

Supplied in a 2 litre pot. Grown and dispatched from Stoneybrook Nursery. All plants are carefully packaged to arrive in excellent condition, ready to plant.